Using a Clinical Decision Support System to Shorten Mechanical Ventilation After Heart Surgery in Children Under 12

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the impact of a clinical decision support system CDSS on children under 12 years old who are receiving mechanical ventilation after surgery for congenital heart disease CHD. The study aims to see how the CDSS affects the length of time these children remain on mechanical ventilation. This is an observational, single-center study comparing patients using the CDSS with a historical group to determine if the system helps reduce ventilation duration. The CDSS is integrated into the T3 Visualization Platform, which collects and displays continuous data from the patients monitors, ventilator, and lab results on a bedside computer updated every 5 seconds. It uses predictive algorithms to estimate risks related to heart output, ventilation, and acidosis. Medical teams review the CDSS recommendations twice daily during rounds to guide weaning and extubation decisions. If the clinical team chooses not to follow the CDSS advice, they provide reasons via a brief survey. Participants will be monitored from surgery up to 28 days afterward. Researchers will assess the duration of mechanical ventilation and track events such as unplanned extubations, use of noninvasive ventilation, reintubation within 48 hours of extubation, and how closely the clinical team follows CDSS recommendations. The study will collect data prospectively after starting the CDSS and compare it with retrospective data before its use.

Application of a Clinical Decision Support System to Reduce Mechanical Ventilation Duration After Cardiac Surgery in Children